Munich: Starnberg wing station gives way to glass palace

Created: 05/17/2022, 19:18

By: Dirk Walter

Instead of the Starnberg wing station, a high-rise building with a glass facade is to be built.

© Auer + Weber

Opinions differ on whether it was an architectural masterpiece.

But it is already too late for urban planning discussions.

Because now the demolition permit for the Starnberg wing station has been issued.

In its place, the railway wants to build a 70 meter high skyscraper with a glass facade.

Monument number D-1-62-000-8548 is likely to fall victim to the demolition excavator in the foreseeable future.

The Federal Railway Authority issued the planning approval decision for the so-called "dismantling" of the former "Starnberg Wing Station" station building on Monday, our newspaper was confirmed.

In plain language: The well-known building with its pillared hall and an outside staircase may be demolished.

The railway will now submit an application to the local building commission for the demolition and new construction, as a spokeswoman said.

It is a building with history: the wing station was built in 1949/50 by the building department of the Federal Railways Directorate under the direction of Heinrich Gerbl, according to the State Monuments Office.

At that time there was a lot of life in the wing station, because a number of suburban trains departed from here.

When the S-Bahn network came into being in 1972, the station lost its importance.

Most recently, in 2015, an arrival center for Syrian refugees was housed in the neoclassical columned hall.

An 87-year-old resists

After the demolition, Deutsche Bahn wants to erect a five-story base building, followed by a 17-story high-rise for offices, trade and gastronomy, which will be around 69 meters high.

On top of that there will be a restaurant with a kind of roof garden that will be accessible to everyone.

Deutsche Bahn is investing a high three-digit million amount.

Construction will start in 2023 at the earliest, and the construction period is estimated to be three years.

The Urban Design Commission approved the planning of the Auer-Weber office in 2017, although the wing station has been a listed building since 2010.

But that only happened after the start of the planning process, so the "protection" as a monument is not binding, says city councilor Paul Bickelbacher (Greens).

He also justifies the "high usage density" of the high-rise building.

be promised

Karl Hofmann anathematized what the railways praised as "Munich's new architectural feature".

The 87-year-old is a veteran of the Munich Architecture and Culture Initiative, fought against the Südring motorway as well as against high-rise buildings over 100 meters high.

Regarding the demolition permit, he says: "That was to be feared." It would have been possible to preserve the structure and modernize the building, says Hofmann.

The initiative had even developed a proposal and also lodged an objection to the planning approval, which has now led to the demolition - both in vain.

As a last resort, the only option now is to file a lawsuit against the decision.

He's hoping for the Verkehrsclub Deutschland, says Hofmann.